Committee to Protect Journalists - Maldives

In Maldives, political standoff threatens safety of press

2012-02-10T19:53:37Z

New York, February 10, 2012--The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on all parties involved in the ongoing political dispute in Maldives to respect the role of the media in covering the protests and stop the attacks on journalists and news outlets. After political violence escalated in the wake of former President Mohamed Nasheed's resignation on Tuesday, at least two TV stations were attacked, according to news reports.

Attacks on the Press 2007: Asia Snapshots

2008-02-05T16:55:30Z

Attacks & developments throughout the region

Charge against a journalist dropped, but jail threat looms for another

2007-05-03T16:00:00Z

New York, May 3, 2007—The Maldivian information minister announced today that a criminal charge of “disobedience of an order” against Minivan Daily Deputy Editor Nazim Sattar would be dropped and that charges against Editor Aminath Najeeb would be reduced, Sattar told CPJ.

The two were facing criminal charges related to an August 2005 article quoting an opposition activist. Authorities alleged that activist Ahmed Abbas’ statements incited violence against the police; Abbas has been jailed in connection with the statement.

Attacks on the Press 2006: Countries That Have Jailed Journalists

2007-02-05T16:57:00Z

ALGERIA: 2

Djamel Eddine Fahassi, Alger Chaîne III
IMPRISONED: May 6, 1995

Fahassi, a reporter for the state-run radio station Alger Chaîne III and a contributor to several Algerian newspapers, including the now-banned weekly of the Islamic Salvation Front, Al-Forqane, was abducted near his home in the al-Harrache suburb of the capital, Algiers, by four well-dressed men carrying walkie-talkies. According to eyewitnesses who later spoke with his wife, the men called out Fahassi's name and then pushed him into a waiting car. He has not been seen since, and Algerian authorities have denied any knowledge of his arrest.

Attacks on the Press 2006: Asia Snapshots

2007-02-05T16:45:58Z

Attacks & Developments Throughout the Region

Attacks on the Press 2006: Countries That Have Jailed Journalists

2007-02-05T15:56:40Z

Maldivian reporter gets life in prison; CPJ seeks thorough review

2006-04-20T16:00:00Z

New York, April 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is disturbed by the Maldivian government’s prosecution of journalists working for Minivan News, a media group affiliated with the opposition Maldivian Democracy Party. Minivan Daily reporter Abdullah Saeed, known as Fahala, was sentenced on Wednesday to life imprisonment on a drug charge, which colleagues believe was fabricated by the government in an effort to silence the newspaper.

Maldives: CPJ urges fair, transparent trial for journalist

2006-03-28T17:00:00Z

New York, March 28, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about Maldivian authorities’ criminal prosecution of Abdullah Saeed, a reporter with the opposition Minivan Daily newspaper. The journalist, also known as Fahala, was sentenced on Sunday to two months in jail for refusing a urine test when he was arrested last October.

Saeed still faces the more serious charge of possessing more than one gram of an opiate, which could carry a life sentence. Colleagues have insisted that charge was manufactured to silence a critical journalist and that any drugs were planted by police. They say Saeed refused to submit to the urine test because he feared it would be tampered with. Saeed was convicted on a drug charge once before, in 2000, but was pardoned three years later.

Maldives: CPJ welcomes release of Internet journalist

2006-02-22T17:00:00Z

New York, February 22, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release from house arrest of Internet journalist Ahmed Didi, who was pardoned today, four years after receiving a life sentence because of his work. Dissident Naushad Waheed was also pardoned.

"The release of our colleague Ahmed Didi is welcome but long overdue," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said. "Didi, like other independent voices in the Maldives, has suffered greatly for the right to transmit news and opinion, which is still not fully realized in the country."

Attacks on the Press 2005: Countries That Have Jailed Journalists (Follow Links for More Details)

2006-02-16T16:59:55Z

AFGHANISTAN: 1

Ali Mohaqqiq Nasab, Haqooq-i-Zan (Women's Rights)
Imprisoned: October 1, 2005

The attorney general ordered editor Nasab's arrest on blasphemy charges after the religious adviser to President Hamid Karzai, Mohaiuddin Baluch, filed a complaint about his magazine. "I took the two magazines and spoke to the Supreme Court chief, who wrote to the attorney general to investigate," Baluch told The Associated Press.

Attacks on the Press 2004: Asia Analysis

2005-03-14T16:55:00Z

Overview
by Abi Wright

Threats to press freedom spiked throughout Asia in 2004, even as the news media claimed significant accomplishments. Across the region, 2004 was an election year, with citizens casting ballots in nations such as Afghanistan, whose landmark vote was peaceful and orderly, and India, where more than 370 million went to the polls. Informing voters and guarding against abuses, the press was credited with playing key roles in these and other elections.

CPJ condemns detention of online publishers

2004-08-19T16:00:00Z

Your Excellency:

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the recent detention of online publishers Ahmed Didi and Mohamed Zaki, and their secretary Fathimath Nisreen, and calls for their immediate and unconditional release from prison.

Originally arrested in early 2002 on charges related to their work for the independent online publication Sandhaanu, the three were on medical leave from prison in the capital Malé when they were re-arrested by police and the National Security Service (NSS) in a crackdown on pro-democracy reformists. Although Didi, Nisreen, and Zaki are all in need of medical attention, authorities are holding them under harsh conditions that include blindfolds, handcuffs and solitary confinement, according to local sources.

CPJ condemns prolonged detention of journalists

2004-04-28T16:00:00Z

Your Excellency:

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the prolonged detention of three people--Ahmed Didi, Fathimath Nisreen, and Mohamed Zaki--affiliated with the online publication Sandhaanu who were arrested in early 2002. A fourth person, Ibrahim Luthfee, was also arrested, but escaped in May 2003.

Didi, Luthfee, and Zaki, businessmen who founded, edited, and wrote for the Dhivehi-language Internet publication Sandhaanu, were arrested along with their secretary Nisreen in late January 2002. Luthfee, Nisreen, and Zaki were arrested in the capital, Malé, and Didi was arrested days later in Colombo, Sri Lanka, en route to Bangkok for medical treatment for a heart condition, by Sri Lankan authorities on alleged travel document violations. According to Luthfee, the Sri Lankan authorities deported him to the Maldives where he was promptly arrested.

Attacks on the Press in 2003: Journalists in Prison

2004-03-11T17:00:00Z

There were 138 journalists in prison around the world at the end of 2003 who were jailed for practicing their profession. The number is the same as last year. An analysis of the reasons behind this is contained in the introduction on page 10.

At the beginning of 2004, CPJ sent letters of inquiry to the heads of state of every country on the list below requesting information about each jailed journalist. Readers are encouraged to add their voices to CPJ's by writing directly to the heads of state, whose names and addresses can be found at www.cpj.org.